By Philomina Brando
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, has said Nigeria is well positioned to lead Africa’s digital and creative revolution, citing the country’s youthful population, expanding innovation ecosystem and rising entrepreneurial culture.
Mignot made the remark on Tuesday at the third edition of the Omniverse Africa Summit in Lagos, where innovators, policymakers, investors, researchers and development partners gathered to explore the future of Africa’s digital economy.
He said the emergence of the digital and creative economy presents a major opportunity for Nigeria’s growth and job creation.
“The new economy, digital and creative, offers a fantastic opportunity,” he said, noting that young Nigerians are especially well placed to drive innovation as digital natives.
The envoy said Nigeria’s demographic advantage, combined with its growing tech ecosystem, gives it a strong foundation to shape Africa’s innovation future.
He added that the European Union and Nigeria have both identified the digital and creative sectors as strategic priorities within their partnership, with ongoing investments targeted at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and skills base.
“In Nigeria, the EU supports the entire digital value chain, from governance to infrastructure, from skills to entrepreneurship,” Mignot said.
He disclosed that the EU has committed to a €45 million digital development agreement with Nigeria, alongside support for the rollout of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure across the country.
He also highlighted EU backing for Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure agenda and the Three Million Technical Talent initiative aimed at expanding the country’s pool of digital skills.
According to him, other interventions include the Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria, co-funded by the EU and the German Government and implemented by GIZ, which supports digital innovation, entrepreneurship and technology adoption among young Nigerians and businesses.
Mignot further pointed to the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Federal Government, which connects young graduates with work experience opportunities.
German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, also speaking at the summit, said Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most dynamic innovation hubs, with its entrepreneurs increasingly influencing global trends across fintech, artificial intelligence, agribusiness, health, manufacturing and the creative economy.
“The future will not be built in silos. It will be built through cooperation across sectors, institutions and borders. The future will be connected,” she said.
She added that Nigerian innovators are no longer just adapting to global trends but actively shaping them.
“Nigerian innovators are not simply adapting to global trends. They are shaping them,” Günther said.
Mignot said the strength of the Omniverse Africa Summit lies in its ability to bring together all parts of the innovation ecosystem under one roof, including policymakers, founders, investors, creatives, researchers and development partners.
He said Nigeria’s digital future will depend on stronger collaboration across sectors, noting that technology, education, finance, agriculture, manufacturing and public services are increasingly converging.
“The future is connected, but connection must be turned into impact,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to translate discussions into partnerships that deliver real economic and social value.
“Let us connect innovators with investors, policy with practice, creativity with technology, and Nigerian talent with global opportunities,” he added.
The summit featured discussions on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, green technology, future skills, research collaboration and innovation financing, highlighting the growing role of partnerships in Africa’s economic transformation.
The European Union said its partnership with Omniverse Africa reflects its broader commitment to supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and youth-driven digital growth across Nigeria and the continent.